Microsoft builds ‘holodesk’ to interact with digital items

Microsoft’s Research team has unveiled a project that has been in the works for a while now. The project, called Holodesk, is a 3D manipulator that allows you to manipulate virtual images with your bare hands!

“Whilst this is only a research project at this stage, I can envisage future applications in areas such as board gaming, rapid prototype design or perhaps even telepresence, where users would share a single 3D scene viewed from different perspectives. I know it sounds very Star Trek but this is not science fiction,” Microsoft Research Steve Clayton stated in an official blog post.

Holodesk utilizes beam-splitters and a graphic processing algorithm to provide a more life-like experience. This is the company’s attempt at looking at a more unconventional use for a touch interface.

Both of these projects are part of a larger effort by MSR to look at more unconventional uses of touch interface, so we don’t sit back and settle for the status quo.

Again, this is just a “research project” so don’t get your hopes up of seeing one of these bad boys at your local Best Buy.